the diary of billy a private in ww1
by HolbyCityFanatic
Summary: this is adiary of asoldier in world war one


People die regularly in the trenches. These deaths are not always because of attack or defence some people die from shell attack where as others die from the snipers shot- when the new soldiers arrive many take a look over the wall of the trenches at no man's land and got shot by the Germans. This is a well-aimed shot and takes out many soldiers. - Some people die of disease caused by the rat infested trenches and this is very common because the rats were huge, for that reason we have to keep our daily rations in our mess tin and carry it round with us. –this section of a diary entry was by a war engineer

Dear mother and father,

One hour before dawn every day all the soldiers have to get up onto the front in case the Hun launches an attack on the British trenches in the half light of dawn and dusk. All the soldiers are always half asleep and numb with coldness with bayonets fixed and rifles held. This period lasts an hour and is known as morning hate. Most mornings we have a fierce exchange of bullets. After we get the order to stand down we leave the sentries on the fire step and find what breakfast we can get our hands on amongst the other soldiers, rats, horned beetles and blood red slugs. We usually have bully beef and bone-hard biscuits with tins of jam. All the soldiers eat in turns with some on guard at all times and there was never a set meal time. We stay in the front line for 10 days then we move to the reserve trench and eventually to the rear where a bath and fresh clothes were available along with a rest.

The other day I went over the top… and survived as you probably have guessed. I narrowly missed a mine and saw a British soldier get hit by it with a German soldier. Once the mine exploded I turned around and retreated with my fellow mates. I am usually in the reserve trenched but most soldiers were on their break at camp so I took their place.

On Christmas day fritz sent us a pack of cigarettes and we sent them a bottle of rum. Then everyone reunited to bury the bodies on no man's land and then play football. For days after that we were all friends and the Germans even had to pretend to have a battle and asked us to keep low. That was until these soldiers went and were replaced with angrier frits.

The diseases that go around the trenches are horrible you can get trench foot, shell shock but I'm surviving, blindness caused by burns or mustard gas, and trench fever, whenever I get a break I get the cure for trench fever to keep it under control.

Yours sincerely

Billy XXX

Dear diary,

Today I an engineer went over the top I invaded a German control station when in the big push. We pushed the Germans back 15 metres after being stale mate for 2 months. All the soldiers had rifles with a sword tied onto the end and we had big field guns that were manned by 10 people and lots of machine guns that were manned by 5 people. Before I went over the top I was given a ration of rum to give me confidence for the first time ever I felt I was actually at war. After spending 9 months doing nothing but laying cables I felt I had been hidden away from the war. I am very happy to have been the sight was terrible up on no man's land we even has tanks here in the battle of Somme.

Dear dairy,

I have just spent my first week in a trench as a soldier and I was curious so I took a peek over the parapet and a bullet came towards me I quickly lifted up my book for some protection and the book saved my life even though I can no longer read it. The bullet tore through the book but it minimised the impact I had from the bullet.

Dear diary, 29th October 1914

Today I entered the trenches for the first time in my life. The war started a few months ago and I have just finished my training. Before war I was a butcher and I lived in London. But until Christmas I will be living in these trenches. Everything around me looked so cool and fun until I saw a battle take place. But life here can't be too bad no when you could have an adventure every day.

Dear diary, 2nd November 1914

I just learnt that I had a lot to learn about life in the trenches. We have limited food supply as transport is difficult to find. On the second day I ate all my food in one go and haven't had any thing since. For the last 4 days we have been in battle trying to push the Huns back, but more and more people are dying and soon it will be my turn to go over the top. I sleep in a pot hole in the side of the trench and there is constant fear that a shell is going to make the wall collapse in on me as I have seen happen several times since I arrived. Everywhere seems to be damp and I have been told that it had been raining just before I arrived.

Dear diary, 3rd November 1914

Today I will be going over the top we are hoping the big push will push the Huns back 15 meters. But I am hoping I survive. Give me luck

Dear diary, 5th November 1914

Wow, I survived. I have just got back with to prisoner Huns. Everyone congratulated me and I could get a promotion from private to corporal. But that is highly unlikely.


End file.
